Briefly Discussing the Politics of Divide et Impera

Hello, friends Summarized! This time we will discuss the divide et impera policy that was once implemented by the Dutch in Indonesia. What is the meaning and purpose of this policy? How do the Dutch carry out this policy? And what are some examples of cases? Come on, see the following article!

The Politics of Divide et Impera: Meaning and Purpose

The politics of devide et impera or politics of pitting one against the other is a combination of political, military and economic strategies aimed at gaining and maintaining power by breaking large groups into smaller groups that are easier to conquer. This term comes from the Latin meaning “break and reign”. This strategy was popularized by Julius Caesar in an attempt to build the Roman Empire. The politics of devide et impera was first introduced in Indonesia by the Dutch through the VOC (Vereenigde Oostindische Compagnie). The VOC was a trading company founded in 1602 with the orientation of seeking maximum profits by conquering various kingdoms in the archipelago. In addition, the VOC also tried to control trade routes and at the same time monopolize the spice trade in Indonesia. To be able to achieve this goal, the VOC implemented a political strategy of dividing et impera. This policy was made a habit by the VOC in terms of politics, military and economics to preserve its colonialism in Indonesia. The aim was to prevent the kingdoms in the archipelago from uniting against the Dutch, as well as to gain the support of some of the kings who were willing to cooperate with the Dutch.

The Politics of Divide et Impera: Ways and Examples

The divide et impera policy was carried out by the Netherlands in various ways, including:

• • Making agreements with local kings that benefit the Dutch and harm the local people. For example the Bongaya agreement (1667) with Makassar which required Makassar to pay war damages, surrender important territories, and allow the Dutch to build a fort in Makassar.

• • Provoking disputes between the kingdoms in the archipelago by providing military or economic assistance to one of the warring parties. For example, the politics of pitting one against the other was applied by the Dutch during the Padri War (1821-1837). The Dutch supported the Minangkabau indigenous people who opposed the Padri who wanted to implement Islamic law strictly.

• • Dividing the territory of the kingdoms in the archipelago into smaller and weaker parts. For example, the division of the Mataram area into Surakarta and Yogyakarta through the Giyanti Agreement (1755) and the Salatiga Agreement (1757). This was done to reduce the influence of Mataram, which at that time was the largest kingdom in Java.

The divide et impera policy adopted by the Dutch succeeded in making the kingdoms in the archipelago divided and against each other. This made it easier for the Dutch to control strategic areas and natural resources in Indonesia. However, this policy also led to resistance from the Indonesian people who were not willing to be colonized and exploited by the Dutch. Some examples of Indonesian people’s resistance against the Dutch include:

• • The Aceh War (1873-1904) led by Sultan Iskandar Muda, Teuku Umar, and Cut Nyak Dien. This war was the longest and toughest war faced by the Dutch in Indonesia. Aceh managed to maintain its independence for more than 30 years.

• • The Puputan Badung War (1906) and the Puputan Klungkung War (1908) were led by Balinese kings. This war was a suicidal resistance carried out by the Balinese people who did not want to submit to the Dutch. This war ended the existence of the kingdoms in Bali.

• • The Indonesian National Movement (1908-1942) was spearheaded by organizations such as Budi Utomo, Sarekat Islam, Indische Partij, and the Indonesian National Party. This movement is a political and socio-cultural struggle that aims to achieve Indonesian independence from Dutch colonialism.

The Politics of Divide et Impera: Conclusion and Closing

From the description above, it can be concluded that the divide et impera politics is a political strategy adopted by the Dutch to control Indonesia by dividing the kingdoms in the archipelago. This policy succeeded in making the Netherlands benefit greatly from trade and exploitation of natural resources in Indonesia. However, this policy also led to resistance from the Indonesian people who fought for independence. This is an article about the divide et impera policy that was once implemented by the Dutch in Indonesia. Hopefully this article is useful and adds to your insight. If you have questions or comments regarding this article, please write in the comments column below. Thank you for reading this article to the end!